Why delay?

[AshleyBaker]

Why would my doctor at Mayo Clinic tell me that a HIDA scan with CCK or CK is NOT a definitive tool to diagnose sluggish gallbladder? All I read is that this is the best definitive tool!

I've been fighting to get this darn thing out of my body. Several other doctors agree that the building sludge in my gallbladder will lead to stones. I have most recently started to feel the spasms....having more pain. The nausea is the worst. I am nauseated every day. I have lost weight as I was told, which is also being supervised by a doctor, yet no one wants to touch my gallbladder?? WHY????

I have been so sick. I told my dietician yesterday that I stay nauseated all the time now that I've gotten used to it. I can't eat anything with the good fats or I'm toast and in bed the rest of the day. My HDL's are low as a result. Now what? Suffer????

What am I missing here????

My fear is that I'm gonna get a blocked tube which can result in liver damage...I already have liver problems...My ejection fraction of my gallbladder is 18%. I just don't get it.

Ash

[AshleyBaker]

Very interesting. I didn't know that. I'm familiar with actigall...but didn't realize it worked on bile like that. I'll have to ask.

I have the pain and spasms now. When I had the hida, it wasn't as bad. I'll mention the actigall. I'm on cardizem for arrhythmias, does that count as a calcium channel blocker?

Thanks for your assistance. I'll ask about the actigall.

Ash

[CalGal]

It's probably due to the fact that more and more cases of problems are cropping up after GB surgery that suggest that taking out a low-functioning GB without the presence of stones seems to make things worse in some people. Without stones and just a low ejection fraction some statistics are suggesting that up to 40% of people end up with continuing pain and in some cases more pain than they had prior to surgery.

Having sludge can end up irritating the cystic duct or the common bile duct and lead to spasms which could be causing the pain. Has you doc suggested you try something like Actigall to try to 'dissolve' some of the sludge? And have you tried any of the forms of anti-spasm meds, or specific calcium channel blockers?